- China’s underwater data center merges deep-sea cooling with renewable wind power
- Lin-gang project provides 2.3 megawatts in its first operational phase
- Natural ocean cooling replaces conventional chillers in new Chinese data center
China’s experiment in submerging digital infrastructure under the ocean has now moved from theory to commercial reality.
Shanghai’s Lin-gang Special Zone has become home to what the country calls the world’s first underwater data center.
The $226 million project combines renewable energy with deep-sea cooling to improve efficiency and sustainability.
A new phase in data infrastructure
The first stage of the Lin-gang facility is operational, producing 2.3 megawatts of capacity, and developers say the full build will eventually reach 24 megawatts.
This result would place it well ahead of Microsoft’s Project Natick, which was primarily an experimental effort abandoned in 2024.
The 35-meter-deep underwater facility is supported by major state-backed entities including Shenergy, China Telecom’s Shanghai branch and CCCC Third Harbor Engineering.
Its operator, Shanghai Hicloud, has already outlined a vision for a much larger expansion of 500 megawatts in offshore environments.
From a technical point of view, the method is straightforward: the servers are enclosed in waterproof capsules and positioned on the seabed.
The natural properties of the ocean act as a means of cooling, eliminating the need for conventional coolers.
The company claims this configuration achieves a power consumption efficiency of less than 1.15, an improvement over China’s current efficiency benchmark and many large-scale land-based installations.
Supporters of the project argue that the underwater approach reduces energy demand for cooling while allowing near-total reliance on renewable sources.
Developers estimate that about 95% of the facility’s electricity will come from offshore wind power, eliminating the need for grid electricity or fresh water.
If the figures are confirmed, the site could mark real progress towards sustainable, low-impact IT.
There are, however, obvious limitations. Microsoft’s past experience shows that there are practical inconveniences associated with maintaining, upgrading, and replacing components.
Since each capsule is pressurized, sealed and covered to resist corrosion, once submerged, access becomes both expensive and slow.
Lin-gang’s proponents maintain that marine and thermal impacts remain within acceptable limits, but independent verification is still pending.
As with Microsoft’s previous project, the question is not whether the system can work, but whether it can do so sustainably and profitably.
If the results match early projections, China’s approach could influence how global companies deploy AI tools and manage data-intensive workloads at scale.
Via Tom’s material
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